It was one of the most popular bookbenches on the Sitting With Jane bookbench trail – and now it has a new home.

Sitting With Jane was one of the most high-profile events in Hampshire in 2017 as the county hosted a series of events and activities to mark the 200th anniversary of the death of world-famous author Jane Austen, who spent the first 25 years of her life in Steventon near Basingstoke.

Fundraiser Elisa Owen and friends tackled a muddy obstacle course and pulled in the pounds for various good causes, including Ark Cancer Centre Charity.

Elisa, who is a practice nurse in Andover, her sister Claire, from Wiltshire, and friend Dee, from Basingstoke, all raised funds for Ark by taking part in this year’s Basingstoke Pretty Muddy 5K event at Down Grange last Saturday.

Congratulations to Ark Cancer Centre Charity supporters who celebrated well-deserved success and recognition at the 2018 A Place to be Proud of Awards.

Ark Our Partner supporter Champion Group won the Business and the Community award following a public vote, and fellow Ark Our Partner supporter Lamb Brooks was one of the other two finalists in the same category.

The fabulous Arkriders, who have so far raised more than £170,000 for Ark, were also nominated for awards at the 2018 event and were among the finalists in the Community Project category.

Sponges, buckets and cloths were the order of the day as the team at Ark Cancer Centre Charity Our Partner supporter Unum got stuck into a sponsored car wash.

Over the next two years, colleagues at Unum Basingstoke are taking part in various events and activities that will help to raise funds for, and awareness of, Ark and its appeal to raise £5million for a much-needed unique local cancer treatment centre that will be built in the Basingstoke area – and the car wash is the latest event.

The World Cup starts this week – and Ark Cancer Centre Charity supporter Kevin White has come up with a fun treasure hunt idea that is a real winner.

Kevin, director of Fortem Financial Education, has painted 11 stones in the flags and names of World Cup teams and he and his team of helpers have hidden them in 11 different locations around Basingstoke.